Obsessive Soccer Fan Dies After Going Eleven Nights Without Sleep

Soccer has no shortage of passionate fans.  One Chinese man's fandom cost him his life.  Jiang Xiaoshan stayed up for eleven straight nights to watch Eurocup 2012.  When he finally went to bed after Italy beat the Republic of Ireland, he never woke up.

Xiaoshan watched Italy blank Ireland 2-0 on June 18th.  That was the last soccer game he would ever watch.  Friends claim Xiaoshan took a shower, collapsed in a heap on his bed, and never woke up.  According to reports, the combined effects of alcohol, tobacco and sleep deprivation were to blame for his untimely death. Xiaoshan’s friends were left shocked after learning of his death, stating that he lived a “relatively healthy life.”

It is not the first time fans have suffered health issues watching international tournaments from different time zones. Several people were admitted to hospitals during the World Cup tournaments in 2006 and 2010 due to exhaustion.

Because of the time difference, all the European Championship matches are played in the middle of the night in China.